Chapter 95 - Middle Forest
It was no different from declaring that a trial had been planted along the path of this expedition. The Estarian elders had likely crafted this ordeal as a measure to judge whether or not they should engage with outsiders. Even if someone managed to reach them, those who thought like the ancient Estal people would find no meaning in exchange. Such was the stance of the Estarians who lived in penance. It wouldn’t be surprising if they had arrived at such a conclusion.
“I see. So this is the place the elders fear, the one your people deem dangerous. That alone says much—it must be a harsh land.”
“Yes. Once you step into the mid-level zone from here, it’ll be difficult for us to meet again. We might be able to talk here at this spot, but...”
“I understand. Until I make it through the Middle Forest, I shouldn’t expect your help. A ‘trial,’ is it...? Still, I’ll keep moving forward—bit by bit.”
“That determination of yours... I don’t dislike it. Good luck.”
“There are many motives at play here, but for now, my top priority is to uncover the mysteries of the Demonic Forest. Pray that I make it through.”
“Of course. I will. You have my word.”
As the sun sank beneath the forest canopy, stars began to peek through the sky—and soon after, the moon rose, vast and radiant. The air gradually lost its warmth, a chill creeping in like a silent omen of what lay ahead. It felt like a prelude to the journey beyond. One would have to grope through the dark, uncertain path, searching for the way forward. If this was the only means of nearing the truth... then it was nothing short of tragic. Bathed in moonlight, the Estarian girl took to the skies and flew toward her homeland. Watching her silhouette vanish into the heavens, I made a quiet vow to one day catch up to her.
We had expanded one of the watch posts and decided to give it a new name. There were many ideas—"Forward Base" among them—but in the end, we settled on Pontis, the Bridgehead. It was, after all, a foothold for exploring the Middle Forest. I took pride in choosing a name that matched its purpose.
With our gear and tools fully prepared, and the logistics team having completed the transport of supplies, we were finally ready to begin a full-fledged expedition into the Demonic Forest. This would be a careful, measured exploration. We couldn’t afford a full-force march with the entire guerilla unit. After all, patrolling the Shallow Forest—the shallow zone that supported human settlements—was still part of the guerilla unit’s duty.
On top of that, the unit also handled Rapid Response Security. Lately, we had received an increasing number of distress calls from neighboring knightly territories that bordered their own stretches of the Demonic Forest. We understood exactly what that meant.
Thanks to the network of trails laid throughout the shallow region of our Demonic Forest, it seemed that mid-sized magical beasts could no longer roam as freely. Many had relocated their dens to surrounding forests. And now, reports were coming in of repeated skirmishes between those newcomers and the beasts already claiming those territories.
To the neighboring knightly families, this posed a serious problem. They couldn’t simply turn a blind eye. And so, my elder brother issued orders for our guerilla unit to intervene. Of course, when large-scale action was required, the main force itself would be dispatched. Cooperation between knightly houses sharing a northern frontier was both encouraged and necessary for maintaining unity.
These weren’t mere errands we could dismiss. As the commander of the mobile unit, I had no choice but to handle these matters in parallel. Which meant our exploration of the Demonic Forest had to be carried out by a small team. Moreover, since I had to personally oversee it, I couldn’t afford to dedicate too much time to it either.
We had to pursue a more efficient method of exploration. So then—how should we proceed? One answer was to avoid venturing blindly into untouched wilderness by instead following areas that had already been disturbed—paths where ancient trees had been toppled and the ground trampled. By doing so, we could steadily deepen our understanding of the Middle Forest without plunging headlong into the unknown.
Yes—we chose to trace the invasion route of the Imperial Army in reverse.
At present, it was the most viable route for delving into the mid-level forest zone. Taking all conditions into account, if we wanted a safer path that led deeper into the woods, this was our best and only choice. It also reduced active travel time and made the laying of magical communication lines considerably easier.
―――― § ―――― § ――――
At last, the day to begin our exploration of the Middle Forest had arrived. We had thirty personnel in total. Excluding the logistics crew, we were a mixed force of twenty hunters and shooters. Acting as our guides were those who had previously watched this land, keeping an eye on the Imperial Army’s movements. Now, they were practically the entirety of the First Shooter Squad.
“We’ve already set foot in the Middle Forest before. While our knowledge is rough, we’re also familiar with some of the side trails not tied to the Imperial Army’s route.”
“Understood. I’m assigning you to this mission. I’ll be counting on you.”
“Yes, sir!”
The female shooter commanding the first unit offered a crisp salute, her posture a bit too stiff from a mix of tension and enthusiasm. She didn’t need to push herself that hard, I thought, feeling an odd sense of detachment. This wasn’t some leisurely sightseeing excursion, true—but it was still the first time anyone from our kingdom would set foot in this place. We were bound to encounter all sorts of unknowns. If we could expand our knowledge and uncover even a single clue pointing to the forest’s mysteries, that would be enough.
We departed from the Fortress, using wagons to reach Pontis. Along with our gear and supplies, the personnel also rode the wagons as we made our way toward Pontis. The logistics unit had already grown proficient in utilizing the data relayed by the Echo and carefully navigated the forest’s least dangerous paths. With the escorting hunters more than capable of handling any threats along the way, the rest of us were able to rest during the journey.
Once we arrived, I gathered everyone in the makeshift command room within Pontis and gave them an overview of the expedition. At most, we planned to spend five days in the forest. The objective of this initial survey was to get a grasp on the current state of the Middle Forest and begin mapping potential exploration routes. We didn’t even have proper maps yet. The first task would be measurement—surveying along the river would be our starting point.
After briefing them on the plan and key details, I assigned roles to each member. I then declared that we would begin the exploration the following day and instructed everyone to rest well in preparation. Within Pontis, they were free to do as they pleased—though in practice, that meant little more than eating, bathing, and sleeping.
And so came the early morning. All preparations had been completed. I took a deep breath of the crisp morning air and gave the order.
“As of today, we begin our exploration of the Demonic Forest, mid-level zone. We don’t know what awaits us. Stay alert at all times. Move out!”
Steeling ourselves, we entered the path into the Middle Forest. Our route followed the river upstream past the waterfall, where the current was swift and strong. We were tracing the path left in the wake of the large-sized monsters—residual signs of the prior war. Not much time had passed since the last battle, which meant signs of destruction were still fresh. We advanced with caution, climbing against the flow.
And there... What I saw far exceeded even my worst expectations. The scene was far more horrifying than I had imagined.
Scattered throughout the remnants of the invasion route that led deep into the Imperial Territory, were scenes of utter devastation.
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